This invention relates to rack mounting techniques for computer enclosures.
In commercial settings, multiple computer enclosures are sometimes mounted in a vertical rack structure. This technique is referred to as xe2x80x9crack mounting,xe2x80x9d and is most frequently used with server-type computers that are accessed remotely via a network.
One common prior art rack mounting technique utilizes xe2x80x9cquick disconnectxe2x80x9d extension slides. In a quick disconnect extension slide installation, left and right telescoping slide assemblies are attached to the rack structure. A pair of removable inner slides is removed from the left and right assemblies. The removed slides are then attached to left and right sides, respectively, of a computer enclosure by means of bolts or screws. After this has been done, the inner slides must then be realigned with the telescoping slide assemblies on the rack and reinserted into them to complete the installation of the computer enclosure into the rack. While somewhat popular, this technique has several drawbacks associated with it:
First, it is ergonomically difficult to install a product into a rack using the quick disconnect slide technique. For heavier products, realignment of the removed slides with those on the rack becomes challenging after the computer enclosure has been attached to the removed slides. This is particularly true for installations into the higher slots of a tall rack. In addition, realignment of the removed slides requires the installer or installers to stand in front of the enclosure and rack. This can be problematic in the tight quarters of a computer room.
Second, quick disconnect slide assemblies are prone to bearing damage during the installation of a computer into the rack. Specifically, the bearings between the removable inner slides and the non-removable slide assemblies are not capable of rolling during reinsertion of the removed inner slides. This creates forces so great during reinsertion that entire two-meter rack assemblies have been known to roll backwards responsive to the insertion force.
Third, the inner and outer slides of a quick disconnect assembly frequently must be treated as matched sets because of the tight tolerances that are required to cause them to function properly. For this reason, some manufacturers sell the inner and outer slide sets as pre-measured pairs. Consequently, it is often not possible to move a computer enclosure from one slot to another, or from one rack to another rack, without first removing the original pair of inner slides from the enclosure and installing a different pair of inner slides to the enclosure.
Finally, after a product has been mounted to a pair of inner slides and before the slides are inserted into the rack, the slide/product assembly is sometimes awkward to handle. This presents unwanted possibilities for damage both to the product and to the slides.
A need therefore exists for a better technique for mounting computer enclosures into a rack.
A computer enclosure rack mounting system according to the invention employs standoff members attached to left and right rails of telescoping extension slides. A computer enclosure adapted to be used with the inventive rack mounting system includes bearing surfaces that are adapted to receive the standoff members. To install the computer enclosure into the rack, the left and right rails are extended, and the computer enclosure is lowered toward the rails until the standoff members of the rails engage the bearing surfaces of the enclosure so as to support the enclosure. After this has been done, the enclosure and rails are simply slid back into the rack. The rails need not be removed from the rack to install the enclosure, and the enclosure need not be mounted to the rails by means of screws or bolts. The enclosure may be easily removed from the rack by reversing the just-described procedure, and may be installed into a different slot or a different rack without removing or replacing the rails.